6 robbery suspects collared

FIVE suspects behind the series of hold-up and prime suspect in the series of "akyat-bahay" incidents in the city were nabbed last Saturday in hot pursuit operations.

Police Station 2 Police Inspector Jeffrey Attunaga identified the arrested suspects as Roger Adiong, 24, Jeypee Pontanosa, 20, Lauro Gantala, 19, Patrick Maro, 20, and a 16 year old minor, all residents of Purok Mahimulaton, Barangay Banago , Bacolod City.

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Adiong and Pontanosa were arrested at Purok Mahimulaton after a robbery complaint was filed against the two. Recovered from the suspects were a cellphone and a USB flash disk owned by the complainant, Realyn Geogan, 24, of Purok Mainuwaon, Barangay 19, Bacolod City.

Geogan positively identified the suspects who held her up using a .38-caliber revolver Friday evening while she was walking along Burgos Street.

She added that the suspects took her shoulder bag, and when she attempted to fight back, they struck her with a stone on the left side of her head.

On the other hand, Gantala, Maro and the 16 year old minor were also nabbed after Lowell Larraga, 24, of Purok Guinhalaran, Silay City, and Maureen Therese Egina, 22, of San Lorenzo Village, Talisay City complained to the station that they were held up while riding in a public utility jeepney plying the Bata-Libertad route. The suspects, who were armed with a knife, took their cellphones.

Recovered from the suspects during their arrest were two units of cellphones and a knife. Later, they were also positively identified by the tricycle driver whom they held up last Wednesday.

According to the driver, the suspects flagged him down and ordered him to bring them to 27th Calamba Streets. Upon reaching the area, he was held up by the suspects stabbed him and struck him with a bottle when he tried to fight back.

Meanwhile, the number one robbery suspect in Police Station 4's area of responsibility was arrested Sunday morning along Circumferential Road, Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod City, said station chief Inspector Danilo Francisco, who identified the suspect as Joeneben Pulgo, 18, and resident of Sabes, Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod City.

Francisco stated that the suspect was involved in several robbery (akyat-bahay) and hold-up cases in their area, including the recent complaint where the suspect took almost P46,000 from a business establishment in the city. Pulgo was also responsible for 'akyat-bahay' incidents in Capitol Ville, Buena Park and Barangay Villamonte last month.

Francisco said that Pulgo was positively identified by the complainants who, together with the police, will file charges against him on Monday. The Police Station 4 chief added that the suspect was also nabbed for robbery in 2003 but was endorsed to the custody of the Social Development Center because he was still minor at that time.

The suspect is presently detained at the lock-up cell of Police Station 4. Franciso urges other robbery victims to come to visit the police station to identify the suspect so that additional charges can be filed against him.